Unique things to do in Kyoto

" Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book -finish- Other things to note: - If you are book lovers, we are happy to offer another class FOR BOOK LOVERS, class including FULL experience like Embossing ( please check another workshop of tsutomu ! - If you'd try Japanese Original book style , we reommend STAMPBOOK class. ( please check another workshop of tsutomu ! - If you are the family, we are very welcome. Under 5years old children might be difficult to have standard corse. In that case, KIMONO SKETCHBOOK class would be better ( please check another workshop of me, yoko !

We will share a course-meal ranging from modern to traditional Japanese food across 4-6 food stands and restaurants. I have chosen these vendors to talk about quality food and rich food culture that represent Kyoto. Throughout the evening, we will try many kinds of foods different from what other Japanese cities offer with other foodies! - Other things to note Please let me know if you have food restrictions or allergies at least a week before. I might not be able to fully accommodate restrictions as it is a group experience. - This experience is run by either myself or another trusted local guide. - I update my tour availability by the 3rd week for next month. Even if you don't see availability, please check back later.

You can make a reservation to participate in the tea ceremony experience in our studio, enjoy the 60-minute service and immerse yourself in the unique Japanese culture tour. The Tea Ceremony experience in ANKOAN kicks out your fatigue in the journey. While tasting the welcome tea made by Yuka, you can talk about the tea ceremony and whatever. Then move to another layer of matcha tearoom, watching the process of making Matcha tea and tasting Matcha and delicious Wagashi. At this time, you’d better observe the teacher's action for making matcha carefully. Do you know why? Because you will experience to make mathca personally later on. But don't worry, the teacher will be around you to instruct and explain, so that you can fully experience the fun of making Japanese matcha. At the same time, we can share what we see and what we feel, such as "how do Japanese people live?", "how did Japanese culture come into being?” and so on. With the experience of matcha, we, from different cultures, can get closer to each other in the process of communication, which is the highlight of tea ceremony experience in ANKOAN. And then, please get down to tasting the matcha made by yourself, which contains Japan's profound culture, and end this pleasant experience. In addition: you can take pictures indoor freely. Other things to note ＝Business Hours＝ 10:00-18:00 ＝Off Day＝ December 31st to January 3rd ※We will be closed for attending lectures abroad or domestic activities. Sorry for the inconvenience.

This is an excellent chance for visitors to get a firsthand look into the world of the samurai. Get a glimpse into the philosophies of bushido, the way of the warrior, and try your hand at wielding a real katana. Afterwards, practice some inward reflection with Zen meditation, used by the samurai to calm their minds during battle. -Form Practice- Before being given a real blade it is important to master the basics. We will begin our training using wooden practice swords and instruct you on the proper grip, posture, and form. -A Real Katana (Japanese sword)- After learning the basics, the next step is to wield a real katana, and use it to cut though a goza mat. We will place this target on a special stand and you can put your sword skills to the test. -Zen (meditation)- The course wraps up with an experience of Zen meditation. Through this deep meditation, you will be able to dissipate some of the excitement from practicing with the sword, and also learn ways in which Zen meditation can assist you in your daily life. -Other things to note- * You are allowed to take photos and videos anytime anywhere during the experience. * We do offer private bookings, please contact us through our website.

Top rated Osaka night life here where even close enough from Kyoto ! Please read detailed guest review to get to know more about my tour! "One of the tapas bar is historical 80 YEARS OLD classic Japanese tapas bar! Point 1. Experience of this bar crawl will walk around deep side of Osaka, If you’re looking for "off the beaten path" munchies experience beyond Namba or Doutonbori area in Osaka, HERE is for YOU who wanna glimpse what a real local night life is. Point 2. Let me take you to three SPECIAL standing bar which most of them are originally opened as "liquor store" turned out to be a "Tapas Bar". Great things that we will have quality food/drinks as very reasonable price! Average cost is about 6000 Yen in TOTAL 3 restaurant. Point 3. You will encounter a bunch of flavorful food/drinks surrounded by full of local. You will be fit in well to local life without language barrier. I'll order your favorite taste which something "adventurous" and sure fire food like seasonal sashimi or variety of meat and veggies. If you find your favorite sake, you can buy a bottle in order to have your souvenir! Let's enjoy the night out together like a local. besides, I would like to talk about culture differences! I’m music, movies and nature lover. Other things to note Food and drinks are NOT included in the tour fee. Vegetarian friendly! LGBTQ friendly!

Session 1 " Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book Session 2 ” Embossing ”　 1. choose one or two words from Name/ Date/ Kyoto. Or, one line of your expression like poem or philosophy. 2. choose letter style from letter presses ( Western or Japanese/ Kanji -old Chinese characters ) 3. design to set letter press on the back page of your book cover 4. practice the technic of embossing several times 5. try to emboss with golden leaf ( silver / other colors ) please check photos for each process. -finish Other things to note This course is best suited for adults and families with kids over 13 yrs. old. If you’d like to enjoy a more family oriented class please choose our other course Traditional Kyoto Style Bookmaking.

" Temple Stamp Book ( Gosyuincho ) making @ bookmaking studio 1. Choose one for your book ( enjoy our beautiful collection of vintage kimono textile / cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. Making the interior page by Washi papers ( temple special style ) learning technic with special blush & glue for the book 3. Listen to the story how the craftsmanship are in Kyoto watching old machine works 4. Measure the book cover, other materials & cut those to the size 5. Highlight : learn how to make the Book-cover with bamboo & paper in traditional way ” Embossing ”　 We offer you the special opportunity to use our special machine & letterpresses, Those are you can’t experience anywhere in the world because the machine was made for the professionals and enough old. Some of them are the last forms in the world actually. Of corse, you need practices to get the point before embossing your own books using golden leaf ( or other colors like silver, red, blue, white ) –finish “Explore ( Let’s go out from studio ! ) “ About 5mins walking up to the shrine to get the first stamp by monks at shrines or temples neighbors. On the way, the road ( so called, Monster Street ) itself is enough historic, meaningful and interesting. The craftsman, Kimono maker and old shops around corner. Experience real Kyoto ! Other things to note It’s better to join the class before visiting some temples & shrines if you collect stumps there. Good matching to family activity !! Great & Only one souvenir with you when you leave local & professional studio.

Experience what it feels like to be a local! This 3-hour experience focuses on standing izakayas in Kyobashi, a neighborhood filled with small, local favorite restaurants and bars. Eat and drink like a local in these hidden gems while interacting with friendly Osaka locals! With me as your local host, you will be encouraged to try old-school izakaya foods and interact with locals in a way that you otherwise wouldn't. We will go to 2-3 standing izakayas in Kyobashi for you to try various Japanese and Osaka local foods. The places I will take you to have no English signs or menus, but not to worry, I will translate them for you! By the end of the tour, you'll be able to order your own next round of food and drinks! Come with me to eat and drink like locals, with locals. **PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE BOOKING** FOOD/DRINKS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE FEE. Please know that the experience will be taken place in STANDING izakayas and they are SMOKING-FRIENDLY. This experience is NOT for those who have many food restrictions or are very specific about the dishes they want.

First I explain a little about what is special about “Akahada-yaki”. Then I hand over the raw clay to guests for appreciation and touching.Imagine this clay will be given life and become a work in your daily life! Have in your mind a image of your own design. Eg. If you participate with your partner, making same teacups for each other might be a memorable experience! I will also advise for your design from easiness of making or solidity in use. When design is finished, then we start building and shaping by wheel throwing. (See my demonstration!) It’s really a fun to turn a wheel! You can either concentrate in your work, or get more inspiration watching at my works in the gallery. Final step is to scrape and write your name at the bottom of your work. That’s how it works! And let’s have a tea break and Japanese sweet over imagining the finished condition of your work. I will dry and bake your work, then duly pack it , which takes max. 4 months in total till dispatching for shipment. (International shipment cost should be additionally paid at the class. For some countries shipment may not be possible,or put on hold due to changing pandemic situation,etc. please ask.) About the cost or acceptability of international shipment of your completed pottery to your country, please check with us beforehand.(For some countries we reccommed to use more costly FEdex service for safety.)

On arrival, we'll create our own handmade paper from the raw ingredients, which will be turned into four postcards. Designing the paper with pressed flowers and leaves is the most fun process. While drying the paper, we'll watch a short movie about how Japanese paper is made, enjoy chatting over drinks. When the paper is dried, I'll show you how to use a traditional brush pen to write messages on the cards in Japanese. At the end, I 'll be able to guide you on how to mail your unique cards to your friends or family. Other things to note; Please be sure to bring the mailing addresses of the people you want to send your postcards to.

" Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book -finish- Other things to note: - If you are book lovers, we are happy to offer another class FOR BOOK LOVERS, class including FULL experience like Embossing ( please check another workshop of tsutomu ! - If you'd try Japanese Original book style , we reommend STAMPBOOK class. ( please check another workshop of tsutomu ! - If you are the family, we are very welcome. Under 5years old children might be difficult to have standard corse. In that case, KIMONO SKETCHBOOK class would be better ( please check another workshop of me, yoko !

Welcome to KYOTO, JAPAN! Kyoto city is full of tourist spots, it's a kind of amusement park itself. But the transportation is so complicated even for Japanese people. Then tourists may visit 5-6 tourist spots in one day. But through this experience, we will take you to the most popular tourist spots in Kyoto, in one day! You have a chance to take photos of very beautiful scenery though this tour. 【Where to visit】 1. Meet in front of the Exit of JR Saga-Arashiyama station at "8:50" 2. Arashiyama: Beautiful bamboo forest and Japanese forested mountain 3. Ride the Randen Tram Line: Cute local small tram 4. Ryoan-ji Temple: The stone garden became famous because Queen Elizabeth visited here and praised it 5. Lunch: Eat at a Sushi-go-round (Sushi, Ramen, Kara-Age, Beer, Mochi too) 6. Kinkakuji Temple: You can't miss this place. The famous "golden temple" 7. Fushimi Inari Shrine: The No.1 sightseeing spot chosen by overseas tourists! The 1,000 red torii gates lining the path are spectacular 8. Sanjusangendo: The sight of 1,000 Buddhist statues lined up is a sight to behold 9. Kiyomizu Temple: The most popular tourist spot for Japanese tourists. The wood stage does not use a single nail 10. Sanneizaka: Souvenir shops lined up this pedestrian road 11. Yasaka Pagoda: A major symbol of Kyoto 12. Gion area: This is the beauty of historical city, Kyoto 13. Gion shopping street

We will share a course-meal ranging from modern to traditional Japanese food across 4-6 food stands and restaurants. I have chosen these vendors to talk about quality food and rich food culture that represent Kyoto. Throughout the evening, we will try many kinds of foods different from what other Japanese cities offer with other foodies! - Other things to note Please let me know if you have food restrictions or allergies at least a week before. I might not be able to fully accommodate restrictions as it is a group experience. - This experience is run by either myself or another trusted local guide. - I update my tour availability by the 3rd week for next month. Even if you don't see availability, please check back later.

You can make a reservation to participate in the tea ceremony experience in our studio, enjoy the 60-minute service and immerse yourself in the unique Japanese culture tour. The Tea Ceremony experience in ANKOAN kicks out your fatigue in the journey. While tasting the welcome tea made by Yuka, you can talk about the tea ceremony and whatever. Then move to another layer of matcha tearoom, watching the process of making Matcha tea and tasting Matcha and delicious Wagashi. At this time, you’d better observe the teacher's action for making matcha carefully. Do you know why? Because you will experience to make mathca personally later on. But don't worry, the teacher will be around you to instruct and explain, so that you can fully experience the fun of making Japanese matcha. At the same time, we can share what we see and what we feel, such as "how do Japanese people live?", "how did Japanese culture come into being?” and so on. With the experience of matcha, we, from different cultures, can get closer to each other in the process of communication, which is the highlight of tea ceremony experience in ANKOAN. And then, please get down to tasting the matcha made by yourself, which contains Japan's profound culture, and end this pleasant experience. In addition: you can take pictures indoor freely. Other things to note ＝Business Hours＝ 10:00-18:00 ＝Off Day＝ December 31st to January 3rd ※We will be closed for attending lectures abroad or domestic activities. Sorry for the inconvenience.

A cycling tour through Kyoto city should be more than just a simple ride-around, we take you deep inside. Our tours are focused on experiencing, exploring, and discovering Kyoto’s best-kept secrets, all in a short riding distance from our shop. Tranquil and contemplative Zen gardens, magnificent temples and shrines, we have carefully curated a tour that offers uniquely contrasting environments showcasing Kyoto’s distinctive history, culture, design, and craft. We have 3 departure times, 9am, 9:30, and 1pm. You must arrive 15 minutes before your departure. If you are late and miss the tour it's non-refundable. If you plan on arriving right at the departure time you may miss the tour so please plan ahead. The tours are usually 3 hours and 45 minutes. Our tour starts and finishes at our shop in north-western Kyoto city. This is a boutique journey, designed for those who seek a more in-depth understanding of Kyoto’s landscape. It features a visit inside the famous Golden Pavilion, but also takes time to stop and relax at other unique meditative Zen Gardens that are off the beaten path. Other things to note Please arrive 15 minutes before departure. Late/no-shows are non-refundable. Most guests take a taxi to our shop. We recommend wearing comfortable clothes for a fantastic day on the bike. I will cancel and refund tours due to heavy rain, storms, or inclement weather.

First, choosing a kimono ♫ From among our collection, choose your favorite kimono. After deciding on your kimono, it is time for accessories!From obi to bags to other various accessories, you create your own unique kimono style! Our staff will help advise you on kimono styling and assist you in choosing the perfect accessories for your kimono!Hair-styling is free! Hair accessories are also free! I also gift you with a pair of tabi, or special socks to wear with kimono, as a memory of your trip!(October through May only) I conduct all hair-styling and kimono-dressing in a private room, so you will be able to relax and enjoy your privacy while getting ready.From choosing your kimono and obi to personal recommendations of the best places to visit in Kyoto, our staff will help advise you on where and how to go. After everything is done, it`s finally time to explore the streets of Kyoto!I ask that you return your kimono by 17:00. During the summer months, I will prepare Yukata. There are also men's kimonos and kimonos / yukatas for children over 4 years old. Enjoy the city of Kyoto with your family. Fitting+hair styling takes approximately 20~30 minutes per person. After styling, you are free to explore Kyoto! ＊As makeup is not included, please do it yourself. We are unable to dress pregnant women for health and safety reasons.

This is an excellent chance for visitors to get a firsthand look into the world of the samurai. Get a glimpse into the philosophies of bushido, the way of the warrior, and try your hand at wielding a real katana. Afterwards, practice some inward reflection with Zen meditation, used by the samurai to calm their minds during battle. -Form Practice- Before being given a real blade it is important to master the basics. We will begin our training using wooden practice swords and instruct you on the proper grip, posture, and form. -A Real Katana (Japanese sword)- After learning the basics, the next step is to wield a real katana, and use it to cut though a goza mat. We will place this target on a special stand and you can put your sword skills to the test. -Zen (meditation)- The course wraps up with an experience of Zen meditation. Through this deep meditation, you will be able to dissipate some of the excitement from practicing with the sword, and also learn ways in which Zen meditation can assist you in your daily life. -Other things to note- * You are allowed to take photos and videos anytime anywhere during the experience. * We do offer private bookings, please contact us through our website.

Top rated Osaka night life here where even close enough from Kyoto ! Please read detailed guest review to get to know more about my tour! "One of the tapas bar is historical 80 YEARS OLD classic Japanese tapas bar! Point 1. Experience of this bar crawl will walk around deep side of Osaka, If you’re looking for "off the beaten path" munchies experience beyond Namba or Doutonbori area in Osaka, HERE is for YOU who wanna glimpse what a real local night life is. Point 2. Let me take you to three SPECIAL standing bar which most of them are originally opened as "liquor store" turned out to be a "Tapas Bar". Great things that we will have quality food/drinks as very reasonable price! Average cost is about 6000 Yen in TOTAL 3 restaurant. Point 3. You will encounter a bunch of flavorful food/drinks surrounded by full of local. You will be fit in well to local life without language barrier. I'll order your favorite taste which something "adventurous" and sure fire food like seasonal sashimi or variety of meat and veggies. If you find your favorite sake, you can buy a bottle in order to have your souvenir! Let's enjoy the night out together like a local. besides, I would like to talk about culture differences! I’m music, movies and nature lover. Other things to note Food and drinks are NOT included in the tour fee. Vegetarian friendly! LGBTQ friendly!

Session 1 " Book Binding Workshop" 1. select book cover ( you can choose from our collection of old kimono textile / old cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. stitch the interior pages of the book by hand 3. cut the edge of the book to size 4. measure the book cover & other materials 5. set and arrange all paper and make book cover 6. assemble the interior of the book and book cover 7. press by hot iron with candle 8. use pressing tools to press book 9. glue on the cover of the book Session 2 ” Embossing ”　 1. choose one or two words from Name/ Date/ Kyoto. Or, one line of your expression like poem or philosophy. 2. choose letter style from letter presses ( Western or Japanese/ Kanji -old Chinese characters ) 3. design to set letter press on the back page of your book cover 4. practice the technic of embossing several times 5. try to emboss with golden leaf ( silver / other colors ) please check photos for each process. -finish Other things to note This course is best suited for adults and families with kids over 13 yrs. old. If you’d like to enjoy a more family oriented class please choose our other course Traditional Kyoto Style Bookmaking.

We meet in Shinsekai area, an old neighborhood of Osaka, walk around the area then head toward the Minami area, Osaka's southern city center, including world-famous "Dotonbori". Osaka is well known as the food capital of Japan, or kitchen of Japan, and you will see why once you get here. There are so many restaurants all over the city, and all kinds! I'll show you not only the variety of foods Osaka can offer but also the history of the area, Japanese culture, tradition and everyday life of local people. I'd recommend you to take my walking tour at your earliest convenience once you arrive Osaka, since I'll talk a lot about what you can do here as well as restaurant recommendations. This will be an excellent activity for you to familiarize yourself to this amazing city, and also Japan over all. I'll try my best to let you have a good time while you're in my beloved city!! I'm looking forward to showing you the best of my Osaka!! Please note this is not food tour, meaning no food is included in my tour. But Osaka as a food capital of Japan, I talk a lot about food in my tour. Even though the time is limited, you are welcome to grab something quick to eat during my tour too!!

Bar hopping tour at Kyoto city center. We're exploring "Kawaramachi" and "Kiyamachi" areas, where local Kyoto people enjoy drinking. We will take you to real local bar and izakaya, difficult to find for foreigners. Also take you to some deep & hidden places you never know. This experience is not just for local foods and drinks, give you the opportunity to connect with local people. Cannot wait to show you guys around my city!! If you have special request related to place, food, date and so on, we can organize the tour up to your requests. ＜What's included＞ ○ 3 hours with a local guide ○ Admission fee is free ✖️ Alcoholic Beverages ✖️ Dinner ※We split the total amount, and 99 yen or less will be rounded up to make accounting smoother.

" Temple Stamp Book ( Gosyuincho ) making @ bookmaking studio 1. Choose one for your book ( enjoy our beautiful collection of vintage kimono textile / cloth textile / varieties of fabrics ) 2. Making the interior page by Washi papers ( temple special style ) learning technic with special blush & glue for the book 3. Listen to the story how the craftsmanship are in Kyoto watching old machine works 4. Measure the book cover, other materials & cut those to the size 5. Highlight : learn how to make the Book-cover with bamboo & paper in traditional way ” Embossing ”　 We offer you the special opportunity to use our special machine & letterpresses, Those are you can’t experience anywhere in the world because the machine was made for the professionals and enough old. Some of them are the last forms in the world actually. Of corse, you need practices to get the point before embossing your own books using golden leaf ( or other colors like silver, red, blue, white ) –finish “Explore ( Let’s go out from studio ! ) “ About 5mins walking up to the shrine to get the first stamp by monks at shrines or temples neighbors. On the way, the road ( so called, Monster Street ) itself is enough historic, meaningful and interesting. The craftsman, Kimono maker and old shops around corner. Experience real Kyoto ! Other things to note It’s better to join the class before visiting some temples & shrines if you collect stumps there. Good matching to family activity !! Great & Only one souvenir with you when you leave local & professional studio.

In this experience tour, you can stroll around the ancient capital of Kyoto, enjoy the history of temples and Kyomachi, and create special memories through a photography experience. Firstly, we will meet at the Nishiromon gate of Yasaka Shrine and I will explain the flow of the tour. We then head to our round-tour, while visiting not only Ninen-zaka and Yasaka-Pagoda, but also hidden spots where there are less tourists. There are also some standard photo spots along the way, so let's proceed while taking commemorative photos. We can also shoot outside the Kiyomizu-temple area as well, so please feel free to talk with us. We highly recommend wearing the traditional Japanese wear, kimono and Japanese style make-up during the tour. Since there are many kimono rental shops in the city of Kyoto, If you would like to use the service, please let us know in advance, we can help you with the reservation. The experience tour will last approximately 2 hours. I especially recommend it for those who are new to Kyoto! Please come and join us to make your own memories. [ this experience tour includes ] ・ 2 hours shooting experience and cultural deep tour (English, Japanese, Chinese, available) ・ Photos (100 or more unedited photos, 10 full edited photos) If you have any further questions or inquiries, please contact us through the Host Contact button!

In this 120-minute activity, you will wear the proper training gear and hold real katana swords to train just like the samurai did. The experience of handling a katana correctly and cutting through objects will be something you will never forget. ★The content of this experience★ 1. Getting dressed in the training gear 2. Learning how to draw and sheath the katana safely 3. Learning how to swing the katana correctly 4. Cutting rolled tatami mats with a real katana 5. Watching the master's katana performance ★Why Choose Us★ 1. An instructor with 20+ years of training Many facilities have undertrained instructors who can only teach tourists. Your instructor here has over 100 students nationwide and over 20 years of training experience. 2. The venue is a real dojo We are not a tourist spot but a real dojo where more than 20 students train regularly. 3. Everything is interpreted in English perfectly Shogo from the YouTube “Let’s ask Shogo (1.6M subs)”, who is a student of this dojo himself, will interpret everything in English perfectly.

Enjoy the freshly caught sashimi platter and Japan's only "Wagyu" tasting course with a wide variety of carefully selected sake in Osaka's high-class restaurant district. Learn from a seasoned Japanese chef with easy-to-understand explanations on how to properly select fresh fish for sashimi, how to tell apart each cut of Wagyu beef and how to pair them with a variety of amazing sake. Fresh seasonal vegetables, fried rice and Japanese pickled vegetables are included. Located in Osaka’s premiere restaurant and night life district, enjoy a night on the town at Teppanyaki Toyota. While on my tour, I will carefully explain and walk you through each dish and give you a better understanding of each cut’s characteristics and my creative thought process when designing these dishes. How to select sake and pair them with a Wagyu beef and fishes is essential to the overall enjoyment. So that I will explain the points of "Sake"choice. It is generally said that sake goes well with meals, and I would like you to experience a more compatible marriage on this tour.